For those who have lost the ability to speak and use their hands due to becoming paralyzed, have ALS, a stroke, or severe cerebral palsy to name a few; communication can be difficult and frustrating. Current devices used to assist people in communication such as sip and puff machines or devices in which the eyes…
A common item requested in personal injury lawsuits are wheelchairs, both for short and long term use. It is important to understand why proper fittings are essential for comfort, usability and to prevent further injuries from wheelchair misuse. Why do Wheelchairs need a fitting? Most people dependent on a wheelchair sit for an average of…
Life Care Planners are generally nurses, vocational rehabilitation specialists, physicians, therapists and social workers who have taken special training and passed certification examinations. In a letter sent to all International Association of Life Care Planner (IALCP) members, the IALCP board issued a statement about who is most qualified to author life care plans given some…
Attorneys involved in personal injury and medical malpractice cases will want to have all the medical bills post incident reviewed for appropriateness. There are several steps involved in a past medical bill review, which includes the following: Verification: The first step is to review the medical records to determine if all of the bills are…
When a law firm is reviewing the past bills for a lumbar fusion surgery, there may bills from several providers with many differing codes and charges. The basic charges for a lumbar fusion include: Pre-operative assessment by the surgeon and also by a primary care physician to assess for fitness for surgery. This may include…
Dawn Cook was featured as a guest speaker at the pre-track forum of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) Annual Forum held in Louisville, Kentucky on April 4, 2019. Dawn’s session on “Analyzing Past Medical Bills: Do you know what you need to know?” was a well-attended session at the Forum. Dawn’s presentation…
The spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is used for several painful conditions including: failed back syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome and other chronic pain conditions. It has been used for over 40 years and is often considered after other methods of pain relief have failed, for example, surgery, medications and injection therapy. The SCS is sometimes…
Technology is advancing the applications for emergency systems at home for the aging and disabled. A common device is the emergency button that can activated by the wearer when they need help for fire, police or ambulance. Newer devices are GPS-enabled and work even when the wearer is not at home. Some devices can even…
Dawn Cook was pleased to be a speaker at the 2018 International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) in Charlotte, NC. Her presentation ‘Adding Past Medical Bill Reviews to Your Practice: A Natural Addition to Life Care Planning’ introduced Life Care Planners to the area of medical bill reviews. This type of report is increasingly being…
For disabled persons using wheelchairs and other mobility or positioning systems, an assessment and fitting by a profession is a must. A poorly fitted chair can lead to pressure injury, pain, and difficulty transferring and in and out of the chair. Considerations include the physical conditions of the patient, strength and endurance in arms and…
